


An Unconditional Part Of Her Life

by Hedwig_Dordt



Series: The Fragrance [2]
Category: Iron Man - Fandom, Iron Man 3 - Fandom, Marvel
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F, Femslash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-21
Updated: 2014-04-21
Packaged: 2018-01-20 06:43:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,134
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1500638
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hedwig_Dordt/pseuds/Hedwig_Dordt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Maya thinks it's time to introduce her girlfriend to her son.</p>
            </blockquote>





	An Unconditional Part Of Her Life

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Fightyourdragon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fightyourdragon/gifts).



> For Fightyourdragon, as an interim-birthday present. Many happy returns of the day, you marvellous woman.
> 
> Beta'ed, US-picked and immeasurably improved by Cryingneedforthat. Remaining mistakes are mine alone.
> 
> With gratitude to Dylan O'Brien for mentioning reading Moneyball, the perfect gift for Maya's sports loving kid.

Tuesday evening, fresh out of the shower after her training session with Natasha, Pepper’s phone rings with Maya’s ringtone. She smiles and puts down her glass of Just Greens juice.  
“Good evening, darling!” she says as she answers.  
“Hey, are you free?” Maya asks.  
“I thought I was very much spoken for,” Pepper replies with a grin.  
“I mean, to talk for a minute.”  
“Yes, of course. What’s the matter?”  
“I’d like to introduce you and Elliott.”  
Pepper goes silent for a minute. “That’s kind of a big deal.”  
“Well, you are a big deal to me.”  
“Don’t you think it’s a bit soon?”  
Maya hesitates for a second: “Do you mean you’re the one who’s not ready?”  
Pepper looks up at the ceiling, breathes out slowly and concludes: ‘I don’t think I’ll ever feel ready. If you feel up to it, then I will cope as well.”  
“You stare down corporate overlords on a regular basis. You’ll be fine.”  
“Corporate overlords are an entirely separate category from my girlfriend’s child.”  
“For now, anyway. Give it fifteen years.”  
“Fair enough. What did you have in mind?”  
“Pizza. Obviously.”  
“When?”  
“How is next week Tuesday for you?”  
Pepper turns away from the countertop. She starts pacing the kitchen. “Work out night. No, wait, Tasha is likely to be still out on assignment.”  
“I’m sure your trainer can arrange for another time.”  
“You really want this then?” Pepper asks, uncharacteristically quiet.  
“I think it’s time, yes.”  
Pepper nods to herself, as if she is the one taking a decision. “I’ll tell Sarah when I’m back in the office tomorrow.”  
“‘Kay. I have to go pick up Elliott. Do you have time to talk tomorrow?”  
“I intend to. Shall I call?”  
“I look forward to it.” Maya says suggestively.  
“As do I. Now, I have some self-styled corporate overlords to get in line.”  
“Go get ‘m tiger. I love you.”  
“I love you too.”

Pepper ends the call and looks at her phone. Did that just happen? Did they just casually do the Three Word Thing? She smiles to herself. Is it possible I mistook drama for love? she wonders for a moment. She tries to remember what she felt for Tony. It was turbulent at times, but there was a deep affection too. No, they are different people. I love them differently. It took me some time to realize that love can be this too, she concludes.

When she arrives in the office, she takes some time to check in with Sarah to hear the office gossip.  
“Armstrong, you know, in accounting, is going to propose to his girlfriend.”  
“He’s with that nice girl, Nancy, wasn’t it?”  
“Yes, that’s right.”  
“Should I send them a card?”  
“He hasn’t popped the question yet. But I give it a month maximum.”  
“At times like this, I’m just really glad you’re on my side.” Pepper grins, “Oh, and something else: could you re-arrange my training session for next week?”  
“Ah, ms. Hansen is taking you out to dinner.” Sarah smiles approvingly.  
“Sometimes I wonder who runs this place.”  
“You do, ma’am. I just help you keep track of your life. I’ll re-arrange your work-out, no problem.”  
Pepper takes a deep breath, looks away.   
“What’s wrong?” Sarah asks.  
“Well, I’m slightly worried about this dinner.”  
“Are you two not okay?” Sarah frowns.  
“We,” Pepper says with emphasis, “are fine. She wants me to meet her son.”  
“That's a big deal for parents.”   
Pepper nods. “I have no idea how to approach this. I've never really dealt with children.”  
“Don't try too hard and open-ended questions. Let the child set the pace.”  
Pepper looks at her assistant with a wide smile. She consciously relaxes her shoulders.   
“Remember this come Christmas, boss,” Sarah shrugs, “Don't worry, you'll do fine. You worry about the new plant development. I hear nothing good about that contractor.”  
“Thank you. I'll look into it.”

On Saturday, Pepper goes on a super secret mission of her own: a present for Elliott. That requires zero searching on the internet, a cash withdrawal from an ATM, and a decidedly shabbier outfit then her usual clothes. She found her favourite pair of sweatpants and an old band shirt that must have belonged to Tony -it’s several sizes too long and does nothing for her figure. For a moment she wonders if she should have bought a baseball cap as well. For once she forgoes most makeup, only a bit of mascara because without it she feels naked. The evening before, she planned her route-it involves two buses and a non-traceable travel card. She arrives at the largest bookshop in town reasonably certain she has kept her secret. In the store she finds the sports shelves easily enough. She peers along the shelves, looking for the one book on baseball that has ever managed to hold her interest: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game. She finds two copies on a shelf and takes one. There is a line at the cashier, which annoys her more than she remembers it. 

“Hi, how are you. Did you find everything okay?” the cashier greets her on autopilot.

“Ah yes, just this one, please.”

“A present?”

For a second she is offended the man thinks she needs a book on marketing strategy after running Stark Enterprises for years. Then she realises he doesn’t recognize her, and she regains her composure: “Yes, giftwrapped please.”

The cashier passes the book on to a colleague, who seems in charge of gift wrapping. As she pays, the wrapper dresses up the book, adds a sticker and a scribble.

“There you go, madam, have a good day,” he adds.

“Thank you, and you too.”

She treats herself to a chocolate milkshake-because she is incognito and high on being left alone for a bit. 

On Monday evening, after her re-arranged workout session, Pepper is fretting about her clothes again. She knows what to wear to work -any of the dresses in her closet will do. But what to wear when you're meeting your new girlfriend’s only child? Over pizza. Definitely not an Armani dress. Possibly jeans. T-shirt? Dressy shirt. And she does want to look nice for Maya. She tries picking a shirt at random, but discards it just as fast. In a flash, she makes her decisions. When in doubt, camouflage. Fitting jeans, a black shirt and fancy heels. Feeling slightly better, she puts on a nightie, and lies down in bed. She sends a text to Maya (“Hi gorgeous! Training without Tasha just isn't the same. I look forward to seeing you tomorrow. XXX P”). She picks up her well-thumbed copy of A Fool And His Honey from the nightstand and reads the familiar lines until her eyes start closing.

Tuesday passes both too quickly and not quickly enough. There’s always paperwork, phone calls and corporate hotheads to keep in line. But inevitably, 7 draws closer. At 5, she waves out Sarah. At 5:30, she starts to clean up her desk, at 6:00 she changes clothes, checks if she has the book in her bag. She gets to her car, switches her work phone to silent on the elevator and takes a deep breath. She gets in the car, checks her make-up and drives to the pizzeria. In the parking lot she seems Maya and Elliott getting out of their car. She is not so distracted she doesn’t notice Maya’s little worry lines. 

Pepper gets out of the car, and waves at them: “Hey!”  
Maya turns around and breaks into a wide smile when she sees Pepper, “Hi there!”. Maya ushers Elliott over to meet Pepper. When they are a few steps apart, Maya opens her arms. Pepper leans in to hug her, suddenly unsure on whether to kiss her -and how. Maya solves the problem by pulling her in closer and kissing her mouth, but keeping her lips closed. Maya even manages to steal a peck on her nose before letting her go to make the introductions: “Elliott, this is Pepper Potts. Pepper, this is Elliott.” She waves at the teenage boy. He obviously takes after his mother, Pepper notices not just the brown hair, but also a similar nose. He is wearing a button down shirt, probably at his mother’s insistence. 

“Pleased to meet you, miss Potts,” Elliott says shaking her hand politely.

“Please call me Pepper,” she replies genially.

“Okay, let’s get inside,” Maya says, and ushers them into the pizzeria.

“I have a reservation for three, under ‘Hansen-with-one-s’”, she announces to the server.

The lady consults the reservations, waves over another server, and informs him: “Would you bring these people to table 5, please?”

“Of course. If you’d follow me, ladies, gentleman?” He walks them over to their table, introduces himself as Michael, and takes their drink order, and returns with the menu. 

“Oh, before I forget!” Pepper grabs her bag, “I brought you a present.” She hands Elliott the little package. 

“Thank you!” he says.

“You really didn’t have to do that,” Maya says. 

“I know, I know. But I wanted to. Though on second thought, I do hope you don’t have it yet.”

Elliott busies himself unwrapping, his face lighting up with joy as he recognises the cover. “Look, mom! Moneyball! I have my own copy now!”

“Wonderful, now say thank you.”

“Thank you, miss P...epper.”

“You’re welcome. I hope you enjoy it,” Pepper says.

“Oh yeah, I’ve read it about five times now, but I always have it from the library.” the boy says, “And now I don’t have to anymore!”

“You can scribble in the margins, even.” Pepper suggests. Maya makes a face at the suggestion of defacing a book that way.

“So what kind of pizza are you having?” Elliott asks.

“Same as always, Fiorentina.” 

“You eat spinach voluntarily?” the boy looks genuinely confused. 

“I’m an adult I can order whatever I want,” Pepper reminds him, “I could have bananas on my pizza, and no one could stop me.”

“Not even my mom?”

“Well, maybe if she plays her cards right.” 

“Ew. I’m having the one with salami.”

“And I suppose you’re having Hawaii?” Pepper looks at Maya, who nods.

For some reason, Pepper notices that Maya relaxes. They place their pizza order and have a second round of drinks. They discuss baseball -or rather: Pepper asks questions and Elliott answers them with enthusiasm. Their pizzas arrive, and they tuck in. Elliott starts asking Pepper about her job, and if she does anything other than work. 

“Mom is always working. Even when we were at the park when I was a kid, she was looking at plants,” he supplies. Pepper looks over at Maya. She rolls her eyes, but doesn’t actually deny it. “I did search for your balls with you endlessly,” Maya mounts her defense. 

“True. And you take me to games.”

Pepper catches Maya looking at her softly, and winks at her with a smile she hopes conveys “I’m sure you did the best you could”. They order ice cream for dessert, and then coffee -for Maya and Pepper- and a cup of tea for Elliott. 

“You can have coffee when you’re older.” Maya says decidedly.

“But mooom!” 

“You heard her.” Pepper says.

Maya pulls a mock serious face: “Damn right.”

Elliott acquiesces, and gets Maya’s and Pepper’s chocolates in consolation. After Maya takes care of the check (“No, Pepper, you cannot pick up this one. I invited you, I’m paying the bill. This is my serious voice. End of conversation.”), they leave for the parking lot. Pepper tries to keep their farewell PG: a hug and a kiss on the mouth.

“Call me tonight?” Pepper asks.

“I will.”

“Thanks for dinner.”

“Thanks for coming.”

Pepper looks confused-was that innuendo? Maya lifts her eyebrow and walks to her car, swaying her hips a little. She looks over her shoulder to smile at Pepper, but she sees that Elliott is holding back a little. 

“Are you coming, Elliott?” Maya calls.

“Eh, mom, there’s something I need to discuss with Pepper. In private.” Maya frowns, but gets into the car, making a show of closing the car door.

“Okay, here’s the thing,” Elliott says in a hushed voice. “I think I like you. But I have to say one thing. Break her heart, and I will hurt you.”

“Noted. Thank you… I think. And my intentions towards your mother are entirely honorable.”

“Okay, bye!” the boy runs off.

I can’t believe this happened, she thinks to herself, looking at the boy strapping himself in the passenger seat. She waves after them, and Maya honks, probably unaware of just what her son has just said. And you know what?, she says to herself, she won’t. It will be our little secret. Because I’ll never break her heart. Ever.


End file.
